Padlock



Feb. 9, 1937. E, N, JACOB] 2,070,012

PADLOCK Filed Aug. 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNTED STATES PADLOCK Edward N. Jacobi, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee,

Wis., a corporation of Application August 9,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in padand has as an object to provide an improved design and construction whereby the manufacture and particularly the assembly of the lock are materially simplified to effect a saving both labor and material.

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide a padlock which is so constructed that the assembly of the component parts is effected by merely snapping together the several parts which act as spring detents to retain each other thus cbviating entirely the necessity for screws, pins or other holding devices.

A further object of this invention is to provide a padlock structure wherein assembly and disassembly requires a predetermined position of rotation of the cylinder and in which one of the tumblers or the cylinder normally serves to prevent turning the cylinder to said position.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal section View through a padlock embodying this invention and showing the same in its locked condition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but in unlocked condition;

Figure 3 is a cross section view taken through Figure l on the plane of the line 3 3;

Figure 4 is a cross section view taken through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 4 4;

Figure 5 is a cross section View taken through Figure l on the plane of the line 5 5 with the cover plate and bolt removed;

Figure 6 is a cross section view through Figure l on the plane of the line 6 6;

Figure '7 is a cross section view taken on the plane of the line 5 5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a section view taken through Figure 5 on the plane of the line 8 8.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates the body of the padlock which Delaware 1935, Serial No. 35,490

(Cl. l0-108) lnounts a shackle 6 adapted to be secured in a closed or locked position by a locking bolt 'I controlled by a lock cylinder 8. The body 5 is preferably a die casting and has two bores 9 and I0 at one end at opposite sides of a central bore v5 I I in which the cylinder 8 is mounted. The bore I6 has the long leg I2 of the U-shaped shackle 6 disposed therein and the bore 9 is adapted to receive the short leg I3 thereof.

It is to be noted that the axis of the bore II and consequently the cylinder 8 does not lie in the plane passing through the centers of the bores 9 and I6, but is disposed to one side thereof. This olf-center relationship between the axes of the shackle legs and the cylinder is utilized to facilitate assembly of the lock, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

At its end from which the shackle projects, the body 5 has transverse axially aligned bores I4 and I5 intersecting, respectively, with the bores 9 and IIJ and communicating with the central bore II. These transverse axially aligned bores I4 and I5 mount the locking bolt 1 and a bushing I6. The bushing I6 is disposed in the bore I5 which is of smaller diameter than the bore I4 and is held against outward movement by a flange I'I.

The outer end of this bushing projects into the side of the bore I0 to retain the shackle bolt assembled with the body 5. To accommodate the projecting end of the bushing, the long leg of the shackle is flattened as at I8, which results in a shoulder I9 at the lower end of the flattened portion I8. Engagement of this shoulder with the bushing I6 limits the outward projection of the shackle bolt by its spring 26, and to permit turning of the bolt in the bore I0 after it has been projected to its open position, the leg I2 has a groove 2| formed therein with the shoulder I9 forming the lower edge thereof.

The bushing I6 is bored axially to receive the adjacent end 22 of the locking bolt, which as shown, is reduced in diameter to fit the bore in the bushing. The bushing thus serves to guide the adjacent end of the locking bolt and its flange Il provides a spring stop against which one end of the bolt spring 23 abuts, the opposite end of the spring engaging a ange 24 on the bolt. The spring 23 yieldingly projects the bolt into the bore I4 to engage its large diameter end 25 in a keeper recess 26 formed in the short leg I3 of the shackle. To retract the locking bolt out of the keeper recess 26, the lock cylinder 8 has an eccentric cam 2I projecting from its inner end to engage the flange 24 as long as the cylinder is within its normal limits of rotation.

As is customary, the cylinder 8 has a plurality of key operable locking tumblers 28 yieldingly projectible into a longitudinal tumbler receiving groove 29 communicating with the bore I I to normally hold the cylinder against rotation. The tumblers 28 are retractible to free the cylinder for rotation by the insertion of a proper key 30.

The innermost tumbler 3| is not acted upon by the key 'nor does this tumbler join with the others in holding the cylinder against rotation. Its function is to provide simple means for defining the normal limits of rotation of the cylinder. tion is disposed in an arcuate chamber 32 forming substantially a sidewise extension of the tumbler receiving groove. Longitudinally this arcuate chamber extends from a point opposite the tumbler 3l to the end of the bore II which is closed by the cover plate 34, as best shown in Figure 8.

The cover plate is secured in a shallow counterbore 35 by being pressed into place. Prior to being pressed into place, the cover plate is bulged outwardly so that pressing the same flat secures the cover plate in position. To prevent crowding the mouths of the bores 9 and I0, the cover plate is relieved as at 36 at the points opposite the bores 9 and IIJ.

In assembling the lock, the cylinder is pushed into the bore il (before the cover plate 34 is in place) until a shoulder 3l at its lower end engages a flange 33 projecting from the wall of the bore II. Endwise movement of the cylinder in the direction of its insertion is thus limited by the shoulder 3l engaging the flange 38, and in the opposite direction, it is limited by the locking bolt.

To facilitate insertion of the cylinder, the mouth of the bore Il has an inclined guideway 39 (see Figure 8) which serves to automatically depress the tumblers. This inclined guideway is so located that with the cylinder turned to align the projecting ends of the tumblers therewith, the cylinder is in a position of rotation at which its eccentric driving cam is farthest from the plane passing through the axes of the bores 9, I0, I4 and l5 (see Figure 5). In other words, in this position, the cam is turned aside so as not to interfere with the insertion of the locking bolt.

With the cylinder in this position, the bolt 1, its spring and guide bushing I6 are next inserted into the body through the bore I4, but before the locking bolt is pushed all the way in to cause the guide bushing IS to project into the bore I0, the shackle and its spring 25 are inserted into the bore I. Then with the shackle held in, the locking bolt is pushed farther into the body by means of a tool inserted through the open end of the bore i4 which causes the guiding and retaining bushing I6 to project into operative relationship with the shackle to hold the same in the body. The cylinder is then turned so that its eccentric driving cam engages the flange 24 of the locking bolt and limits outward projection of the bolt by its spring and holds the bolt in place.

As will be readily apparent, as the cylinder is turned from its yinitial position, its innermost tumbler 3| snaps into the arcuate chamber 32 and prevents rotating the cylinder back to a bolt.

The assembly is then complete except for the For this purpose, its projecting end por- Y closing of the bore II by securing the cover platei 34 in position, which requires but a simple punch press operation.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that this invention provides a padlock of simple and inexpensive construction and that the assembly of the lock is exceptionally rapid and free from expensive operations as it consists only in snapping together the various parts which act as spring detents to retain each other in position, and in the single punch press operation for securing the cover 34 in place. There are no assembling operations of driving screws, pins, or similar fastening devices.

It will also be apparent that the small number of parts and the fact that each individual part can be made in a few simple operations by the most eilicient methods, further insures low cost of manufacture.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a padlock, the combination of a shackle, a locking bolt for securing the shackle closed, a lock cylinder for retracting the locking bolt, a common housing having cavities to receive said elements, assembly of said parts with the body requiring the lock cylinder to be in a predetermined position of rotation during insertion of the lock cylinder into the body and the turning of the cylinder from said position, and means for preventing retrograde rotation of the lock cylinder to said predetermined position.

2. In a padlock, the combination of a body having a plurality of open ended substantially parallel bores connected near their mouths by a cross bore, a U-shaped shackle having its legs receivable in two of said parallel bores, a lock cylinder in another of said parallel bores between the legs of the shackle, a locking bolt movable in the cross bore to and from a position engaging one of the legs of the shackle to lock the same closed, said locking bolt extending across the end of the cylinder to hold the same in its bore, an eccentric cam on the cylinder to engage the locking bolt whereby rotation of the cylinder retracts the bolt, said eccentric cam being ldisengaged from the locking bolt when the cylinder is in a predetermined position of rotation so that assembly and disassembly of the locking bolt from the body is possible when they cylinder is in said position of rotation, and means for preventing rotation of the cylinder to said predetermined position, said means becoming operative upon turning of the cylinder to operatively engage the ec centric cam with the locking bolt.

3. In a padlock including a rotatable lock cylinder and a locking bolt, a body having open bores into which the bolt and cylinder are insertable with the bolt in a position preventing removal of the cylinder, and an operative driving connection between the cylinder and the bolt, said connection being established by rotation of the cylinder, and said connection preventing removal of the bolt from said body.

4. In a padlock, the combination of a body having spaced parallel bores and having a central bore disposed therebetween with a transverse bore connecting the same with said parallel bores near their open ends, a lock cylinder disposed in the central bore insert-able and removable through the open end thereof, means at the opposite end of the central bore for holding the cylinder therein, a U-shaped shackle having its legs receivable in said spaced parallel bores at the sides of the lock cylinder, one of said legs being longer than the other, a. spring engaging the long leg of the shackle for yieldingly urging the shackle outwardly to disengage its short leg from its bore, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore across the end of the lock cylinder to hold vthe lock cylinder in its bore and engageable with the short leg of the shackle to secure the shackle in closed position, a spring for the locking bolt, a spring retainer providing an abutment for the locking bolt spring and engageable with the long leg of the shackle to hold the same against displacement from its respective bore, an eccentric driving connection between the cylinder and the locking bolt adapted to retract the bolt out of engagement with the short leg of the shackle and to limit outward projection of the bolt so as to prevent disassembly thereof from the body, said driving connection being maintained as long as the cylinder is held from being turned to a predetermined position of rotation, and means for preventing rotation of the cylinder to said predetermined position.

5. In a padlock, the combination of a body having spaced parallel bores and having a central bore disposed therebetween with a transverse bore connecting the same with said parallel bores near their open ends, a lock cylinder disposed in the central bore insertable and removable through the open end thereof, means at the opposite end of the central bore for holding the cylinder therein, a U-shaped shackle having its legs receivable in said spaced parallel bores at the sides of the lock cylinder, one of said legs being longer than the other, a spring engaging the long leg of the shackle for yieldingly urging the shackle outwardly to disengage its short leg from its bore, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore across the end of the lock cylinder to hold the lock cylinder in its bore and engageable with the short leg of the shackle to secure the shackle in closed position, a spring for the locking bolt, a spring retainer providing an abutment for the locking bolt spring and engageable with the long leg of the shackle to hold the same against displacement from its respective bore, an eccentric driving connection between the cylinder and the locking bolt adapted to retract the bolt out of engagement with the short leg of the shackle and to limit outward projection of the bolt so as to prevent disassembly thereof from the body, said driving connection being maintained as long as the cylinder is held from being turned to a predetermined position of rotation, and means for preventing rotation of the cylinder to said predetermined position, said last named means becoming operative during assembly of the parts.

6. In a padlock, the combination of a body, a shackle having spaced parallel legs received in said body, a locking bolt movable in the body to and from operative engagement with one leg of the shackle to secure the shackle closed, a spring for the locking bolt yieldingly urging the same into operative engagement with said leg of the shackle, a spring retainer against which the locking bolt spring abuts, said spring retainer being engageable with the other leg of the shackle to hold the same against detachment from the body, and common means for retracting the locking bolt against the action of its spring and for preventing displacement of the locking bolt from the body.

7. In a padlock, the combination of a body having spaced parallel bores open at one end and a. transverse bore intersecting the bores near their open ends, a shackle having long and short legs received in said spaced bores. a spring engaging the long leg and yieldingly urging the same outwardly of its bore, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore With one end thereof engageable with a keeper recess in the short leg of the shackle to hold the shackle in locked position, a spring yieldingly urging the locking bolt toward the bore receiving the short leg of the shackle and outwardly through the open end of the transverse bore vvhen the short leg of the shackle is not in place to be engaged thereby, a spring retainer against which the locking bolt spring abuts disposed in said transverse bore and projecting into the bore in which the long' leg of the shackle is received for engagement with an abutment on said long leg of the shackle to prevent separation of the shackle from the body, and a driver Within the body and engaged with said locking bolt for retracting the same out of locking engagement with the short leg of the shackle and for limiting its spring actuated movement so as to hold the locking bolt in the body.

8. In a padlock, the combination of a body having spaced parallel bores open at one end and having a transverse bore intersecting the spaced parallel bores near their open ends, a shackle having spaced legs received in said parallel bores, one of said legs being longer than the other whereby the short leg may be removed from its bore While the longV leg remains in its respective bore, a spring engaging the long leg of the shackle to project the same outwardly from the body, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore to engage one end in a keeper recess in the short leg of the shackle, spring means yieldingly urging the locking bolt into the bore in which the short leg of the shackle is received for engagement in said keeper recess, said spring means also yieldingly urging the locking bolt out of the transverse bore when the short leg of the shackle is not in place to be engaged thereby, means for limiting the outward projection of the shackle by its spring, and key controlled means mounted within the body and drivingly connected with the locking bolt for retracting the locking bolt out of locking engagement with the short leg' of the shackle and for limiting the spring pressed movement of the bolt to prevent detachment thereof from the body.

9. In a padlock, the combination of a body having spaced parallel bores at opposite sides of a central well and having a transverse bore intersecting said parallel bores and the well to ccmmunicate the same, a shackle having its legs received in the spaced parallel bores, one of said legs being longer than the other whereby the short leg is removable from its bore while the long leg remains assembled with the body, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore with one end engageable in a keeper recess in the short leg, a spring to yieldingly project the locking bolt into the bore in which the short leg of the shackle is received and for urging the locking bolt out of the transverse bore when the short leg of the shackle is not in place to be engaged thereby, a key controlled lock cylinder disposed in the well under the locking bolt to be held in place thereby, and an eccentric driving cam on the cylinder engageable with the locking bolt and for limiting outward projection of the bolt by its spring.

10. In a padlock, the combination of a body having spaced parallel bores at opposite sides of a central well and having a transverse bore intersecting said parallel bores and the Well to communicate the same, a shackle having its legs received in the spaced parallel bores, one of said legs being longer than the other whereby the short leg is removable from its bore while the long leg remains assembled with the body, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore with one end engageable in a keeper recess in the short leg, a spring to yieldingly project the locking bolt into the bore in which the short leg of the shackle is received and for urging the locking bolt out of the transverse bore when the short leg of the shackle is not in place to be engaged thereby, a key controlled lock cylinder disposed in the well under the locking bolt to be held in place thereby, an eccentric driving cam on the cylinder engageable with the locking bolt and for limiting outward projection of the bolt by its spring, said driving engagement between the eccentric cam and the lccking bolt being maintained as long as the cylinder is held against being turned to a predetermined position of rotation, and means automatically operable upon proper assembly of the parts for preventing rotation of the cylinder to said predetermined position.

1l. In a padlock, a body, a shackle carried by the body, a locking bolt mounted in the body for axial movement to and from locking engagement with the shackle, a key operable lock cylinder mounted in the body With its axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the locking bolt, an eccentric driving cam on the lock cylinder engageable with the locking bolt for retracting the same out of locking engagement with the shackle, the connection between the eccentric driving cam and the locking bolt being such that the locking bolt is heid thereby against detachment from the lock body as long as the connection is maintained, and the axis of the lock cylinder being disposed to one side of the axis of the locking bolt so that with the cylinder turned to a predetermined posione end and communicating with the Well nea!` the mouth thereof, a lock cylinder disposed in the weil, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore across the adjacent end of the cylinder to hold the same in the well, a driving connection between the cylinder and the bolt,'said driving connection enabling retraction of the bolt by turning of the cylinder and also holding the bolt in the transverse bore, and said connection being maintained only as long as the cylinder is held from being turned to a predetermined position of rotation, and means becoming operative during assembly of the parts for preventing rotation of the cylinder to said predetermined position.

13. In a padlock, a body having a Well open at one end and a transverse bore open at one end and communicating with the Well near the mouth of the well, a shackle carried by the body and adapted to be locked thereto, a key controlled lock cylinder in the Well, a locking bolt slidable in the transverse bore across the end of the lock cylinder to hold the same in the Well, a spring yieldingly urging the locking bolt into operative engagement with the shackle to secure the shackle in locked position, an eccentric driving cam on the lock cylinder engaging the locking bolt for retracting the bolt out of locking engagement with the shackle upon rotation of the cylinder and for holding the locking bolt against removal from the transverse bore as long as the lock cylinder is held against being turned to a predetermined position of rotation, and means becoming operative during assembly of the parts for preventing rotation of the cylinder to said predetermined position.

14. In a lock, a bored casing having an arcuate chamber communicating with its bore, a lock cylinder rotatable therein, a plurality of key operable tumblers transversely slidable in the cylinder to and from locking engagement With the casing to secure the cylinder against rotation, said tumblers being retractible out of locking engagement with the casing by the insertion of the proper key into the cylinder, and an auxiliary tumbler similar in all respects to the key operable tumblers but inoperable by the key yieldingly projected from the lock cylinder at all times into said arcuate chamber to be engaged with the ends thereof to limit rotation of the cylinder.

l5. A padlock including a body, a shackle and a spring moved bolt to secure said shackle in locked position by engaging a notch in the shackle,

EDWARD N. JACOBI. 

